Council of Pisa (1409)

• cardinals of Rome and Avignon depose both squabbling Popes, elect a 3rd
• CONTROVERSY
• (for background of conflict, see bottom of Crisis of the Middle Ages )

Council of Constance (1414-18)

• delegates by nation (not by pop.)
• Martin V elected pope, depose prior three
• happiness & councils establish power (reign supreme)

Councils

• delegates unwilling to rescind own benefits, etc.
• no lower clergy represented
• Reign of councils kinda end with Council of Basel
  • disagree w/ Pope Felix & depose, but then feel bad and disband

(Royalty across Europe begin to restrict Church powers)

Martin V

• return papacy to Rome, 1417
• campaign for beautification of Rome to assert authority
• fierce war establishes the territory of papal states
• centralizes church again, but renaissance still work against churches former, absolute, power

New Styles of Piety

• individual tack to God
• mysticism (feeling direct presence & love of God)
• monks form "third orders" and confraternities for lay people
• growth of lay piety, bringing religion to the masses
• female holiness, saints, nuns, and communes of religious females forming outside church = on the rise
• values of monasticism can be enjoyed by all
• quiet movement in thought (no rebellions)
• church pomp ritual & traditions seem inconsequential

"Brethren of the Common Life"

• religious order in Holland
• devotio moderna = following in the example of Jesus is enough
  • have learned ignorance to "religion"
  • Erasmus and Martin Luther subscribers to this idea

Printing & Religion

• Bible and scriptures translated into vernacular, printed
• lessen dependence on church and clergy as connection to God
• church vainly try to ban & stop printing but had lost too much power
• anonymous "broadsides" or brief attacks on church or partisan sect of heirarchy

(In art, grotesque imagery of fanciful devils contrasting with saving forces)

Christian Humanism

• AKA "Northern Humanism"
• examine church critically, comparing it with classic texts and ideals

Sir Thomas Moore (1478-1535)

• Utopia (1516)
  • explore active v. contemplative life
  • institutions create human goodness
• Beheaded when stood up to Henry VIII about the Church of England thing

Erasmus (1466-1536)

• SMART DUDE
• The Praise of Folly (1509)
  • folly = quintessentially (and essentially?) human
  • attack follies of church with caustic satire
• "Philosophy of Christ"
  • Simply follow Jesus' example
  • Emphasis on ethics
• Spend final years correcting vulgate for the common people to read

For More On Other Types of Humanism, See Scholasticism & Humanism